the silk of Aira's sleeves whistled through the air a sharp rhythmic contrast to the heavy silence of her chambers she was moving with a calculated lethal grace her shadow stretching long across the mosaic floors as the evening sun bled through the high arched windows.
the first assassin came from the balcony, a ghost in grey lien. he didn't even have the time to steady his breath before Aira 's heel caught him under the jaw the crack of the bone was dull. two more followed slipping through the heavy velvet curtains with bared steel Aira didn't scream to do so would admit she was a prize to be protected and she was anything but. she ducked a swipe the blade humming inches from her ear and drove her dagger a slim wicked thing with a hilt of cold jade into the soft space beneath the second man's rib
A splash of red hit the white marble Aira stood back her chest heavy watching the life drain out of the man 's eyes with curiosity
" that was remarkably messy Aira" she stopped dead in her tracks she knew that voice- deep , weary, and laced with the familiar arrogance she wiped her blade on the dead man's tunic and looked towards the doorway Amir stood there leaning against the doorframe his royal kaftan was perfectly pressed his hands tucked idly into his belt though eyes lingered on the now dirty rugs
" I missed you too brother " Aira said her voice softening, " clean yourself up sultan Abu is already at the table and he's in a foul mood. he's been arguing with the viziers about the eastern borders for what seems a century now don't anger him more"
"Amir" she called out as he turned to leave " who sent them?" amir paused his silhouette framed by the torchlight of the hallway " does it matter? in Shajaetan sultanate an assassin is just a way of saying someone is thinking about you... don't worry about it Aira "
The dining hall was a cavern of gold leaf and shadows Sultan Abu sat at the head his beard greying but eyes still sharp. Aira took her seat in silence, her skin still tingling from the scrub she'd given it. Across from her the younger sibling - Aaliya and little Omar - were picking at a tray of spiced lambs and apricots
"The shajeatan line was built on iron not honeyed words" the sultan was saying, his voice rumbling through the hall. He was looking at Amir, but his words were meant for the whole room "the eastern sultanate thinks we've grown soft they think our walls are held up by history alone "
"they're testing us father" Amir said, tearing a piece of flatbread "the skirmishes in the lower wards aren't random they're measuring how long it takes our cavalry to respond"
"Let them measure" the sultan grunted. " The Shajaetan sultanate has outlived three dynasties and we will outlive this one"
Aira watched them-she wanted to say something but held back. she looked at Aaliya who was feeding a stray bit of meat to hunting hounds. for a moment the tension in the room seemed to lift. Aira felt a rare sharp pang of affection for the messy, loud reality of her family. they were were the only thing that mattered in her life besides Him
when the dinner ended, everyone was preparing to leave when a deafening roar shook the palace foundation followed by the sound of splintering wood and the frantic shriek of horses.the massive iron-bound doors of the dining hall were blown off their hinges
"Ambush" Amir yelled his swords out Aira got ready to fight and defend her family and legacy but what she didn't know was that it was the beginning of an end